The Hong Kong government has received 176 reports of suspected child abuse in the first five months of this year a new mechanism which legally requires those in dedicated professions, including teachers and medical workers, to report concerns.
The 176 reports made since mid-January, when the Child Abuse Mandatory Reporting Order came into force, involved 188 children, Labor and Welfare Secretary Chris Sun said in a Facebook post. POST.
Reports of suspected sexual abuse were the most common, involving 83 of the 188 children. This was followed by alleged physical abuse involving 64 children.
There were 32 reports of suspected neglect and seven of suspected psychological abuse. Two children were suspected of being involved in more than one category of injury, Sun added.
Authorities have conducted case reviews and taken appropriate follow-up action, the welfare minister said, and are conducting assessments for the children and their families.
Dedicated reporting platform
According to the new mandatory child abuse report LAW25 categories of specified professionals in the social welfare, education and health sectors must submit a child abuse report if there are “reasonable grounds” to do so.
Professions include those who work with children such as teachers, occupational therapists and social workers. Doctors, optometrists, physiotherapists and dentists are also subject to the new law.
Reports made in a dedicated reporting platform initiated by the government.
Any specified professional who fails to comply can face a maximum sentence of three months’ imprisonment and a fine of HK$50,000.
The 176 reports made under the new mechanism represent only a fraction of the total number of reports of suspected child abuse received by the government.
According to the latest government figures, the Department of Social Welfare’s child protection REGiSTRy recorded 279 cases only from January to March 2026. From January to June 2025, the registry registered 708 new cases for child protection.
Sun said the number of reports received under the new mechanism suggests that the legal reporting requirement has not led to an increase in erroneous reports.
“This reflects that the Ordinance is working smoothly and that the various publicity, training and support measures put in place by the government are yielding initial results,” he said.
“The specified professionals have proactively fulfilled their legal duty to report, further including raising awareness of child protection in society,” Sun said.
